Travel and explore South Africa!

South African National Parks offers a variety of accommodation types and standards. Prices are
dependent on location, size of unit and quality of experience. All of our South African National
Parks offer park/camp-run accommodation. Each park/camp has its own unique selection of
accommodation types.

Conserving nature since 1926

National parks offer visitors an unparalleled diversity of adventure tourism opportunities including
game
viewing, bush walks, canoeing and exposure to cultural and historical experiences. Conferences can
also be
organised in many of the parks. Read more...

Please read the list below to make sure you are familiar with all the rules.

1. This is a website dedicated to Nature Conservation and travel, in the South African National Parks. All postings must relate to this purpose.

2. Your posting should make a positive contribution to SANParks, the SANParks Forums, its visitors and potential park visitors.

3. Registering with a user name that contains park, camp names, picnic spot names or names associated with the SANParks trademark is prohibited.

4. The Forums' language is English. If you post something in any other language, please provide a complete translation of your message within the post.

5. Members must keep up to date with the Forums Netiquette and follow the relevant instructions.

6. Do not share a username with someone else. Unless the username clearly implies 2 members being an entity, e.g. Jill&John, there should be no confusion or ambiguity about the member's profile. Ask the moderators to help create a new email account for the other person, if necessary, and register separately.

7. Do not register with multiple usernames. This undermines the trust in communication and the integrity of the Kudu ranking. Members who are suspected of posting with/or having multiple names will be either warned, deleted and/or banned from the system within 24 hours! In the case of a first transgression of this rule this will be a 2 month ban, after that any attempt to create a second username will result in a permanent ban.

8. Members must at all times respect and adhere to the directions given by Forum Administrators, including the Forums Moderators.

9. Publishing a PM (private message) with or without reference to the sender may only be done after acquiring a prior permission from the sender, unless you are requested to do so by Forums Administration.

10. One of the draw cards of the Forums is the anonymity of the members, who by choice usually operate under a selected Forums username. Under no circumstances may members reveal the identity of or post photographs of other members without their express consent, or pressurize other members to reveal their identity.

11. We are striving to create a friendly forum that is open to people of all ages and convictions. Keep the tone of your message or personal message (PM) civil. Personal attacks, cursing, abrasive, rude or vulgar language, pornography, adult jokes, hate speech, racism, sexism, insulting or generalizing about other cultures, provoking mudslinging, religious or political exchange, scolding, bullying, berating, making fun of, or otherwise harassing of other members online will not be tolerated! In addition, if you have nothing good to say, don't say it! Likewise, note that any abuse directed at the forum Moderators, or SANParks personnel, will not be tolerated. For anyone who is treated with disrespect from a Moderator, please email webmaster@sanparks.org and we will investigate further. If you have issues with other forum members, please raise them with the Moderators directly. When you post, always bear in mind: Diverse opinions are welcome. Attacks are not!

12. Swearing, the use of symbols to indicate swearing and bad or foul language will not be tolerated.

13. Trolling, feeding the trolls, speculation, flaming or toxic behaviour (toxic behaviour is when members don't break rules in an obvious manner, but insinuate and provoke with vague statements that sound polite and well intended) will not be tolerated.

14. You may not advertise or link business sites on the Forums. Only non-commercial websites may be linked to.

15. No forum member may request donations or start projects or groups on behalf of the SANParks Forums or SANParks. If you would like to raise or donate funds please make use of the E-Commerce facility on the site or work through a legitimate SANParks endorsed fund raising body such as the Honorary Rangers, who are a registered Public Benefit Organisation.

16. You may not sell, promote, or distribute products or services online (including business and non-profit), nor via PM. All initiatives need to be directed to the Virtual Honorary Rangers (VHR@SANParks.org) - the only legally recognized body to conduct such projects on the SANParks Forums.

17. You may not use any part of these forums to establish, promote, maintain or provide, or assist in establishing, promoting, maintaining or providing your own commercial services.

18. You may only promote causes that are endorsed and supported by the SANParks' Forum Management.

19. Once a topic is locked, the topic/issue may not be reopened for discussion or continued in another topic without permission from the forum administrators. The reason for locking will be posted in the topic. Breaking this rule will result in an instant 2 month ban the first time, and a permanent ban the second time you break it.

20. Posts that appear on these Forums do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of SANParks and the Forums Administrators.

21. Posts made by members on this Forums become the property of the Forums and will not be deleted should a member leave the Forums.

22. No user may speak on behalf of the SANParks Forums, or create the impression that he / she represents the Forums or SANParks. Only the Forums Administration (including the Forums Moderators) may act on behalf of the Forums.

23. The production of any promotional material relating to SANParks or the SANParks Forums (logo, names, events, addresses, etc.), without official approval from SANParks Marketing and Forums Administration, is strictly forbidden!

24. Posting children's mugshots is not allowed. Family photos within trip reports are welcome, but the publishing of close shots of children may open this forum to the risk of attracting web "predators". Please help us keep this forum as safe as possible for its participants.

25. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden. When copying materials from other sources, strict citation guidelines apply. (Refer this Manual). In addition, linking to smilies or images hosted by a third-party website is not allowed, unless the members have a prior permission to do so.

26. In case of a member continuously breaking the rules within a short space of time, the perpetrator may be banned for 7 day cooling period awaiting an official warning/suitable ban. Members who violate the rules repetitively, members that are deemed to be guilty of gross misbehaviour and banned members who register again without approval from the SANParks E-Business Manager, will be removed and banned immediately without any notification.

27. Posting on behalf of banned members is not allowed and will result in a ban.

28. This Forum is the property of SANParks and all who participate in this Forum must do so within the rules as laid down by SANParks. SANParks retain the right to change and amend the rules as they see fit, and without prior notice.

29. The posting of spam, phishing, malware and porn will result in an immediate permanent ban. SANParks has the right to block entire countries which are known to spam heavily.

30. Transgression of any of the forum rules will result in the following process:

To have a warning removed members can write to the SANParks Moderator (sanparks.moderator@gmail.com) or to the E-Business Manager (nedret.saidova@sanparks.org) with motivation. Each case will be considered on merit by the Mods team based on members conduct on forum after the warning was issued and depending on the type of transgression for which the warning in question was issued. This can only happen six months after the warning was issued. Only two warnings will ever be removed from the members record. If there has been a ban, then no warnings will be removed.

South African legislation and its provisions, e.g. the constitution and the bill of rights prevails on this website.

5. Only projects that are sanctioned by the VHRs will be permitted on these forums. The members who run the projects are required to work closely, and co-operate, with the VHRs and timeously provide the required feedback, reports and other relevant information needed by the VHRs for auditing purposes and reporting to SANParks and the HR NEC.

25. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden. When copying materials from other sources, strict citation guidelines apply. (Refer this Manual). When referencing from social networks like Facebook, Twitter, etc. screenshot of the original source must be embedded within the post. In addition, linking to smilies or images hosted by a third-party website is not allowed, unless the members have a prior permission to do so.

21. Posts made by members on this Forum become the property of the Forums and will not be deleted should a member leave the Forums. Active members who do widespread deletion of content will be banned without prior notice..

30. Transgression of any of the forum rules will result in the following process (except under special circumstances where the Moderators may use their discretion at changing the order and timing of these steps):

- A warning- A temporary ban- Second and final warning- A permanent ban

Warnings can be given on the forums, or via PM. A request by a moderator on the topic to abide by the forum rules constitutes a warning. The length of the temporary ban will be determined by the moderators at the time.There will be no time limit between warnings and bans.

The Stiffnecks Forum Birding Club was established on the 21st of November 2008 in accordance with the rules for posting on the Forums as prescribed by SANParks.

Cognizance should also be taken of the fact that we partake on a website that was established to promote South African National Parks and therefore discussions on birds that is found in the parks should be the main aim.

The development of the birding environment over the years resulted in topics on the Forums that do not conform to the vision and mission of the SANParks Forums. This resulted in discussions with management of SANParks and representatives of the forum moderators during November 2013.

It was decided to issue a revised rule for the birding environment that we have to comply with during posting on the forums.

The following was taken into account when the revised rule was compiled:

1. The main aim of all posts on the forums must be to promote birds found in the SANParks;

2. Bird books in South Africa define Southern Africa as the area South of the Kunene, Okavango and Zambezi rivers encompassing Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Southern and central Mozambique, as well as the oceanic waters within 200 nautical miles of the coast. Mozambique north of the Zambezi River is excluded, as its avifauna has closer ties to that of East Africa than it does to that of regions farther South.

3. Topics that discuss migratory birds to and from South African National Parks and Southern Africa; and

4. The naming of specific places during discussions of birds and birding weekends/weeks other than in a SANParks.

To comply with the rules for posting on the Forums as prescribed by SANParks, the following rule should be adhered to from the date of publication on the Stiffneck forum birding club thread:

1. The main aim of topics/threads on the forums should be to promote birding within the South African National Parks boundaries;

2. Only the posting of topics/threads and discussions with reference to birds found in Southern Africa (all areas South of the Kunene, Okavango and Zambezi rivers encompassing Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Southern and central Mozambique, as well as the oceanic waters within 200 nautical miles of the coast. Mozambique north of the Zambezi River is excluded, as its avifauna has closer ties to that of East Africa than it does to that of regions farther South), excluding any reference to specific places (only the area applicable) will be permitted when outside the boundaries of any SANPark;

3. Only one topic/thread to discuss Southern African migratory birds to and from South Africa is allowed;

4. Only topics/threads and discussions with reference to birding weekends/weeks or bashes within SANParks boundaries and if within the Southern African boundaries, only the naming of the area will be permitted; and

5. No topic/thread including other birds outside the Southern African boundaries will be permitted.

All existing topics/threads that do not comply with the above rules will be adjusted accordingly after reasonable time has been given for the work put into these topics to be appreciated and read.